Aylesbury maintained their play-off bid with a vital three points thanks to a win over struggling Banbury United. The Puritans squad featured four ex-Ducks in Sullivan, Jackson, Stanbridge and Burnham.
Danny Nicholls had to contend with the loss of his first choice central-defensive partnership Matt Hayward and Liam Folds - both with calf injuries, so Greg Williams came into the side at right-back, with Hodges and Ridley forming the new centre-half pairing.
The Ducks made an excellent start to the game and could have been ahead in the first minute. Goalkeeper Simon Tricker was uncertain coming out to collect a loose ball, and Gavin Jaggard played it back in, where Drew Roberts was waiting to fire a shot goalwards, but just the wrong side of the post.
The goal soon came though, and in the sixth minute. Daniel French won the ball back by pressuring a defender, and curled in a deep cross which was retrieved by Roberts on the byeline. His cut-back was then well finished into the net by Paul Edgeworth for his sixteenth of the campaign. 1-0 Aylesbury
Jaggard and Lamb both had chances to increase the lead, with the ex-Hitchin man blazing a shot over the bar, and the former Brackley star shooting straight at Tricker after Jamie Kearns played the through ball.
As Aylesbury failed to add to their lead, Banbury capitalised and grabbed an equaliser. Sloppy defending from the home side saw them allow a long punt from Tricker bounce over and into the path of Howard Forinton, who doesn't need to be asked twice to score a goal, and he skilfully lobbed the ball over the stranded Rashid. 1-1
Banbury's George Redknap's long-range effort was smothered low by Rashid, and Tricker made a brilliant save to keep French's curling shot out with his fingertips.
The match was only level for seven minutes before Aylesbury restored their advantage. Edgeworth made an excellent run down the right, and released Roberts who ran into the box with pace. The referee adjudged that Tricker had brought him down as he attempted to round the keeper, and awarded a penalty. The diminutive striker dusted himself down to net the spot-kick, after Banbury's number one had been booked. 2-1 Aylesbury
Roberts had another chance, on the end of his own excellent run with the ball, but his final shot lacked the quality to beat Tricker and that was half-time.
Half-time: Aylesbury 2-1 Banbury
Aylesbury seemed to be hoping for Banbury to skulk home quietly in the second half, but that was never going to be the case.
They began the second half dominant, and George Redknap went close with a snapshot straight from the restart. Jody McKay then should have done better with two good chances with his head - the first from a corner, and the second a cross from the near touchline.
In a rare foray up field Aylesbury finally managed to play some football in the second half, and it once again had Banbury undone. Roberts sprayed the ball out to substitute Colin Baker, who played in French for an effort at goal which was deflected wide by a defender.
Banbury kept up the pressure for most of the second half, but were constantly missing a final touch. As they pushed forward, the Greens were able to find space on the counter-attack and both Lamb and Baker went close with efforts from outside the box which whistled past the left-hand post.
Right at the end though Banbury could have snatched a point. Forinton, who had looked the visitors? only true threat throughout, rose above the Ducks' chaotic defence, but could only guide his header into the side-netting. For a horrible second the net bulged as if the ball had found its target, but there was an escape for Aylesbury.
Full-time was soon to follow, and the away side left Buckingham Road unlucky not to have earned a point for an excellent second half display. They had Aylesbury on the back foot throughout, but just couldn't find a finishing touch time and time again.
For Aylesbury a vital three points that moves the Ducks back into the play-off positions ahead of next week's derby with Chesham United.
